Shaft and ratchet locking means



@6%. l5, i935. v H, HARBERT 2,037,123

s AFT AND RATCHET' L Filed May 18, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 allg @le f1 Y 1015 C. 15, 1935. Y v H HARBERT 2,017,123

SHAFT AND RATCHET LOCKING MEANS Filed May 18, 1954 2 Sheets-She'et 2 Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UirED STATES PATENT OFFICE Victor H. Harbert, Chicago, Ill., assigner to Illinois Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, Ill., a

corporation of Illinois Application May 18, 1934, Serial No. 726,253

4 Claims.

My invention relates to self-locking means whereby the ratchet will be properly locked to its controlling shaft; the invention being especially intended for locking the ratchet to a brakestaic or to the operating shaft of dump cars and the like.

The invention has for its object the provision of means adapted to be disposed intermediate of the hub of the ratchet and the sta or shaft and provide a self-locking relation between the ratchet and shaft while at the same time providing means which will prevent the accidental or unintentional dissociation of the respective elements; namely means which may be employed with shafts of square or circular cross-section.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means of simple construction Vand easy p application without need for special tools or skill and which is adapted to withstand the strains to which it will be subjected.

The above enumerated objects as well as others and the advantages inherent in the invention will all be readily comprehended from the detailed description of the accompanying drawings,

whereinzp Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved ratchet and locking means and a transverse section of a staff.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Figure 1, with the staff in elevation.

Figure 3 is a sectional perspective View of the ratchet shown in Figure l.

Figure 4 is a detail view in perspective of the locking means employed in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure l showing a modication.

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken 4substantially on the line 6 6 of Figure 5, with the stair in elevation.

Figure 7 is a sectional perspective View similar to Figure 3.

. Figure 8 is a detail perspective of the locking means employed in Figures 5 and 6.

My invention relates to means whereby a ratchet may be locked to a shaft against independent rotation, as for example the ratchets on ,the shafts of drop bottom dump cars, and par- ;ticularly for locking the ratchet to the brake -construction is concerned, may be of conventional form, is provided with a hub I2 which isl the ratchets with possibly a clearance of approxi imately a sixteenth of an inch; an absolutely snug t between the rough forged staff or shaft and the cast hub of the ratchet, therefore, not being possible. It has been found in practice 5 after comparatively short use and particularly inv brake applications, that the corners ofthe staff soon become more or less rounded or cut providing too much play between staff and ratchet and ultimately rotation of the stair in 10 the ratchet which makes proper brake application impossible.

My invention contemplates means to be used with the usual shaft or staff and a ratchet provided with a prearranged hub-bore whereby a self-locking relation between the stair and the ratchet will be provided, while at the same time accidental dissociation of the respective elements is made impossible.

In the particular embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the first four iigures of the drawings, the invention is disclosed as especially adapted to brake operating staffs, a portion whereof is indicated at Ill; the staff l being angular or substantially square in cross-section. l

These brake operating staiTs are generally rough forgings without very defined or sharp corners; and the lower end of the staff has one end of Ya chain secured thereto whereby the usual brake rigging is operated; while the upper end of the staff is provided with the usual hand wheel.

As my invention forms no part of the brake rigging-and is applicable to ratchets and shafts intended for other purposes,-illustration of the brake rigging and hand wheel is not necessary; nor of the usual locking pawl whereby the ratchet Il with the staff is held in the brake adjusting or applying position.

The ratchet II, which so far as its general shown extended somewhat to a greater extent on one side of the ratchet as indicated at I3 1n Figures 2 and 3, with three walls at right angles to each other and with one side wall of the hub preferably made arcuate as shown at VI 4 in Figure v3; while the end of the hub on the opposite side when the staff II) has been inserted The bore at the side of the hub, provided with the arcuate wall I4, is preferably provided with an offset intermediate of opposite ends of the hub I2, as shown at I5, see'Figures 2 and 3; this side wall of the bore tapering from the off-set or shoulder I5 toward the end of the hub having arcuate wall I 4 as shown at I6, and tapering from the opposite end of the hub to the off -set or shoulder I5, as shown at I'I, see Figure 2.

In Figure 4 I illustrate in perspective the locking means which cooperates with the sloping and shouldered wall of the bore. This locking means is shown in the nature of a keyV I8of width Ycorresponding to the transverse width of the bore so as to be readily insertable into the'bore and be disposed lengthwise of the shaft or staff I0,- as shown in Figures 1 and 2.V v

The side of the key I8, which is to be disposed toward the staff IQ, is preferably flat to correspond with the side of the non-circular staff I; while the other side face of the key, namely the side I9 which is intended to be presented toward the curved wall I4 of the bore, is made arcuate to correspond with the wall of the bore in the ratchet.

The key I8, at opposite ends, is provided with flanges 2!! and 2| which preferably extend throughout the width of the key; the arcuate side I9 of the key I 8 is shown tapering from the upper or head fiange 2!! toward the bottom or toe flange 2|, see Figures 2 and 4; the taper corresponding with the tapered portion I6 of thek ratchet-bore.

The length of the key I8 from the bottom of head flange V2li is substantially the same as the length of the hub of the ratchet; and the width of head flange 2|! is such that it will overhang the arcuate wall I4 of the hub; while the toe flange 2| is adapted to engage beneath the shoulder I5 in the bore of the ratchet. Y

The thickness of the key I8, adjacent to head flange 20, is such that the key I8 may be in snug wedging relation with staff III-if the latter has been forged to maximum dimensions-before the head flange 20 contacts with the curved wall I4 of the ratchet, while the toe flange 2| atthat time is located beneath the off-set or shoulder I 5 through-the bore of the ratchet.

With the key I8 made as shown Yand described, allowance is made for slight, differences, either way, that may occur in the forged staff. It is apparent from the illustration in Figure 2 that in the event of some slight variance, namely a staff of somewhat less transverse dimensions or thickness, the key I8 may be driven farther into the Y hub-bore until a rigid wedgingrelationis effected.

With the one surface conformingto the' conrtour of the adjacent wall of the bore and the other surface of the key conforming to the-,fiat surface of the contacting side of the staff, a very rigid and self-locking relation between staff and ratchet is obtainedrat the same timera locking relation which may be adjusted to any slight differences that may occur in the casting of' the yratchet and/or the forging of the staff.

With the key I8 provided with the flanges 20 and 2|, loss of the key will be impossible if the 'or head-flange end of the' key; and too farY outward movement of the key in the direction of 'the head end will be prevented bythe toe flangeYY 2I coming in contact with the shoulder I5 in the wall of the ratchet. -z Y In Figures 5 to 8, inclusive, I illustrate a modi- I cation wherein the invention is shown adapted to the locking of a ratchet on a staff or shaft of circular cross-section. v

In this modification the ratchet II is identical 5 with ratchetV II previously described and shown in Figures 1 and 3, with one wall of the enlarged Y an olf-set or shoulder I5.

The ratchet II is shown mounted on a stalf or shaft 22 of circular cross-section and therefore the locking key member 23 has both faces made arcuate. That is to say, the face which contacts with the arcuate wall I4 of the hub, like the face 15 I9 of the key I8, made arcuate as is also the face 24 of key 23 which is intended to contact with the round surface of shaft 22. The key 24 is also provided on what may be termed its outer face with a head ange at the larger end and a toe 20 fiange 2| at the tapered end.

In order to lock the key member 23 to the round shaft 22 and to transmit rotative movement of the shaft to the ratchet-or vice versavthe inner or shaft engaging side 24 of the key 25 member 23 is shown with a slot 25 extending from end to end-of the key. This slot is intended to accommodate a spline or bar 26 which is adapted to also extend lengthwise of a groove 2'I formed in shaft 22; the groove 21 being made 30 of greater length than the length of the key 23 and of hub I2 so as to permit the bar 26 to be inserted after the shaft or staff 22 has been passed through the hub of the ratchet with key 23 inserted in the hub; 35 It is apparent from both constructions that accidental dissociation of the elements, or loss of the keys, is impossible even if the nkey should work loose because the toe flange 2| will engage beneath the shoulder I5 and prevent further 40 movement of the key in the direction of its head end. The parts can only be disassembled by 'withdrawing the shaft or staff, which can be done with the construction shown in Figure 5 after the bar 26 has been properly removed. As 45 is evident, by forcing the key in the direction of the toe flange 2| the main wall of this key not only forms firm wedging engagement with the sloping wall I6 but the toe flange 2| will also form wedging engagement with the tapered wall on the other side of shoulder I5.

The invention has been set forth as particularly adapted to the ratchet of a brake-staff ordump car operating shaft, but it is apparent that it may be employed with shafts of different '55 cross-sectional configuration and modifications Vin the key may be made in keeping with the configuration of the shaft and the adjacent walls of the bore of the ratchet; s uch changes being possible Without departing from the spirit of my 60 invention.

What I claim is:

` 1. Shaft and ratchet locking means comprising, in combination with a shaft, a ratchet having a hub provided with a shaft receiving bore, one side wall whereof is off-set intermediate of the ends of the bore, and a key insertable in the hubbore between the shaft and said off-set wall, said key having flanges at opposite ends, the

flange at one end being adapted to engage beimv neathsaid off-set.

2. ShaftA and ratchet locking means comprising, in combination with a shaft, a ratchet whose'hub is provided with a shaft receiving bore of greater transverse dimensions than the thickim ness of the shaft and having one wall provided With an oiT-set intermediate of the ends of the bore, said Wall of the bore sloping from the 0- set toward one end of the hub and sloping from the other end of the hub toward said off-set, and a key adapted to be inserted in the bore and of length greater than the length of the first mentioned sloping portion of the bore and provided with flanges at both ends disposed laterally on the same side of the key, one ange being adapted to engage with the end of the hub While the other flange is adapted to engage With the shoulder in the bore.

3. Shaft and ratchet locking means comprising, in combination With a shaft, a ratchet provided with a shaft receiving bore of greater transverse dimensions than the thickness of the shaftand having one Wall of the bore off-set intermediate of the ends, said Wall sloping'frorn said off-set toward one end of the bore and sloping from the opposite end toward said 01T- set, and a key adapted to be inserted in the bore and of length greater than the length of the first mentioned sloping portion of the bore and provided with flanges at opposite ends, one of said flanges being. adapted to engage beneath the oli-set in the Wall of the bore, the key having a tapered side corresponding with said rst mentioned sloping portion.

4. Shaft and ratchet locking means comprising, in combination with a shaft provided with a slotway, a ratchet provided with a shaft receiving bore of greater transverse dimensions than the thickness of the shaft with one Wall provided with a shoulder intermediate of the ends of the bore and the Wall of the bore tapered from said shoulder toward one end of the bore, a key adapted to be inserted in the bore and of length greater than the length of the tapered portion of the bore and provided with a flange disposed laterallyfrom one side adapted to engage beneath said shoulder, said key on the side provided with the iiange being tapered toward said flange While the opposite side of the key 20 is provided with a slot extending lengthwise thereof, and a spline insertalole in said key bolt and slotway in the shaft.

VICTOR lH. HAR/BERT. 

